Posting 1, Session 5 Sampling Plan Virginia Blais and Dustin Rhoades (Taiwan) 1.The sample subjects will be the 21 students in Dustin’s fifth grade class. I’m leaving the names off because we’d need permission to publish them. Note: Our control group will be a neighboring class of similar ethnic background. 2.Demographics are as follows: a. Age Range: 10-11 b. Sex Distribution: 12 boys and 9 girls c. Ethnic Breakdown: 10 Taiwanese, 3 Americans, 2 mixed Taiwanese/Americans, 1 German/Chinese, 1 Spanish/Taiwanese, 4 Korean d. Location: Taipei American School e. Other important characteristics: 6 students currently in ESL and another 8 who have been ESL students at some point. Note on Demographics: We don’t expect this extraneous variable to impact our dependent variable (student progression along a spelling continuum) because we’re taking a completely differentiated approach. By this we mean we’ve charted the areas where students missed 2 or more spelling conventions on a pretest (Words Their Way recommends it be done like this) from long vowels and consonant blends on up to derivational roots. Each week we plan to regroup students based on the needs indicated in their pretest (in some cases students will work alone if they are the only student with a particular need) so they are only working on areas of the continuum they have yet to master. Consequently, student progression along the spelling continuum will only be judged in relation to each child’s initial pretest. It will not be compared to the rest of the class. 3. The type of Sample: Convenience Sample 4. Explain how you will select your sample: We will use all the members of Dustin Rhoades’s class. Instrumentation: operationalizing your dependent variables 5. Kinds of Data: •Likert Questionnaire (qualitative) •Test Scores (quantitative) 6. Data Collection: Subject Completes: ·Pretest and Posttest (same assessment) to measure our dependent variable. ·Questionnaire (Likert) to measure student self-perception of spelling ability. Researcher Completes: ·Pretest and Posttest analysis based on continuum. Each child’s progress will be indicated graphically. ·Questionnaire graphic to compare first questionnaire with the second 6 weeks later. Data Collection Instruments 1.Student scores on both the quantitative and qualitative assessments will entered into a spreadsheet and graphed. Posting 2, Session 5 Variable Measurement Virginia Blais and Dustin Rhoades (Taiwan) Research Question:What is the impact of “Words Their Way” (spelling instructional program) on student progression across a spelling continuum given three 15-20 minute sessions per week over six weeks? Dependent variable—Student progression along a spelling continuum Performance: We will use a pre and post spelling sample completed by the students. Attitudinal: Pre/Posttest Likert Questionnaire. Posting 3, Session 5 Likert Scale Items Virginia Blais and Dustin Rhoades (Taiwan) Define the variable: This scale measures student self-perception of spelling ability.
Grade 5 Spelling Self-Evaluation
Strongly Agree
5
Disagree
2
Agree
4
Strongly Disagree
1
Neutral
3
Not Applicable
NA
||
Spelling is a challenge for me.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
I enjoy figuring out how to write new words.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
I think I am good at spelling words correctly on my own.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
When I don’t know how to spell a word, I ask for help.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
When I don’t know how to spell a word, I guess.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
When I don’t know how to spell a word, I look in the dictionary.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
When I don’t know how to spell a word, I think of a word that sounds like it to help.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
When I don’t know how to spell a word, I have strategies to help myself.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
I practice spelling after school with a tutor or school program.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
People correct my spelling when I write.
5 4 3 2 1 NA
I hope to become better at spelling new words independently.
Sampling Plan
Virginia Blais and Dustin Rhoades (Taiwan)
1. The sample subjects will be the 21 students in Dustin’s fifth grade class. I’m leaving the names off because we’d need permission to publish them.
Note: Our control group will be a neighboring class of similar ethnic background.
2. Demographics are as follows:
a. Age Range: 10-11
b. Sex Distribution: 12 boys and 9 girls
c. Ethnic Breakdown: 10 Taiwanese, 3 Americans, 2 mixed Taiwanese/Americans, 1 German/Chinese, 1 Spanish/Taiwanese, 4 Korean
d. Location: Taipei American School
e. Other important characteristics: 6 students currently in ESL and another 8 who have been ESL students at some point.
Note on Demographics: We don’t expect this extraneous variable to impact our dependent variable (student progression along a spelling continuum) because we’re taking a completely differentiated approach. By this we mean we’ve charted the areas where students missed 2 or more spelling conventions on a pretest (Words Their Way recommends it be done like this) from long vowels and consonant blends on up to derivational roots. Each week we plan to regroup students based on the needs indicated in their pretest (in some cases students will work alone if they are the only student with a particular need) so they are only working on areas of the continuum they have yet to master. Consequently, student progression along the spelling continuum will only be judged in relation to each child’s initial pretest. It will not be compared to the rest of the class.
3. The type of Sample: Convenience Sample
4. Explain how you will select your sample: We will use all the members of Dustin Rhoades’s class.
Instrumentation: operationalizing your dependent variables
5. Kinds of Data:
•Likert Questionnaire (qualitative)
•Test Scores (quantitative)
6. Data Collection:
Subject Completes:
· Pretest and Posttest (same assessment) to measure our dependent variable.
· Questionnaire (Likert) to measure student self-perception of spelling ability.
Researcher Completes:
· Pretest and Posttest analysis based on continuum. Each child’s progress will be indicated graphically.
· Questionnaire graphic to compare first questionnaire with the second 6 weeks later.
Data Collection Instruments
1. Student scores on both the quantitative and qualitative assessments will entered into a spreadsheet and graphed.
Posting 2, Session 5
Variable Measurement
Virginia Blais and Dustin Rhoades (Taiwan)
Research Question: What is the impact of “Words Their Way” (spelling instructional program) on student progression across a spelling continuum given three 15-20 minute sessions per week over six weeks?
Dependent variable—Student progression along a spelling continuum
Performance: We will use a pre and post spelling sample completed by the students.
Attitudinal: Pre/Posttest Likert Questionnaire.
Posting 3, Session 5
Likert Scale Items
Virginia Blais and Dustin Rhoades (Taiwan)
Define the variable: This scale measures student self-perception of spelling ability.